PS2 Ibara Impressions

[DC906270]

It does not. The game has really long (vertical) resolution (as does ESPGaluda II) and will require adjusting on most monitors/TVs.

oops i stand corrected. thats strange tho, isnt it? is the game best played on a widescreen set (tated of course )

[FMK]

Wait a minute, there's another loading after that syster's frame? The PV on Taito's official site ( http://www.taito.co.jp/d3/cp/ibara/wm/ibara_pv_a.wmv ) shows the game starting right after the frame.

For god's sake, put more loading at a black screen before the game starts, but not that.

[Dave_K.]

It does not. The game has really long (vertical) resolution (as does ESPGaluda II) and will require adjusting on most monitors/TVs.

oops i stand corrected. thats strange tho, isnt it? is the game best played on a widescreen set (tated of course )

No, its still a 3:4 formatted game. Its best on an RGB monitor where you can adjust the horizontal width (which when tated means vertical width ).

[GaijinPunch]

I just had my monitor adjusted last night, so I can finally see more score. You have to open it up to do it, and I don't like electrocuting myself.

[cigsthecat]

Thanks to oxtsu, but Archer posted differences between ARC/PS2. He mentiones less score potential and muddy colors?

http://home.r00.itscom.net/archer/

If someone could take a stab at translating the gist of this (the PS2 differences page) that would be great.

[GaijinPunch]

I'm on my way out in a few, so here's the main points, w/o the detailed descriptions:

Differences:
1: Starting point in the stage is strange.
2: Sound is slow (seems to be on stages 2 and 5)
3: No slowdown (on stage 3, sepcifically).
4: Zako appear early just before 4th stage boss
5: Stage 5, the 3 tanks appearance is late
6: SOmething else on stage 5 where a group of zako ends too early or something. Says the difference is about 100,000 points.

Problems:
1: Bad method of restarting
2: No auto-fire button, and S-formation release is the select button

etc.

[BulletMagnet]

Slightly off-topic, but I hafta know if I was the only one to chuckle at the typo in the title of this Ibara auction.

Any other game and it wouldn't be nearly as funny, heh heh.

[cigsthecat]

I'm on my way out in a few, so here's the main points, w/o the detailed descriptions:

Differences:
1: Starting point in the stage is strange.
2: Sound is slow (seems to be on stages 2 and 5)
3: No slowdown (on stage 3, sepcifically).
4: Zako appear early just before 4th stage boss
5: Stage 5, the 3 tanks appearance is late
6: SOmething else on stage 5 where a group of zako ends too early or something. Says the difference is about 100,000 points.

Problems:
1: Bad method of restarting
2: No auto-fire button, and S-formation release is the select button

etc.

Thanks GP.

[NTSC-J]

Mine came this afternoon from ncsx, with booklet.

I've only had the chance to play the game a few times, but it's pretty fuckin hard. The announcer is indeed the coolest ever. I also like the "Atashitachi wa kirei ni shitageru" at the start (I'll let GP be the authority on this one, but it's something to the effect of "We're gonna make you beautiful" or I guess it could be "clean you up"? maybe it's a double-entendre...GP sensei, help us out), plus the BGM. Slick style in this game.

[EOJ]

"Watashi-tachi-ga kirei ni shite ageru" at the start (I'll let GP be the authority on this one, but it's something to the effect of "We're gonna make you beautiful"

Correct.

The more I play this game the more I love it. Also, I've discovered how Arrange works (i.e. it's important to do medaling just like in regular mode in order to get a high score), and I scored 21 million in it today. It's much better than I thought originally. Definitely a quality game. Still undecided as to if I like original better than Arrange (BL). However, I think I will focus on original mode for awhile, then move onto arrange.

Some notes:
- you can scroll through the high scores for the different modes (normal, harder, extend, arrange) by pressing the circle button on the high score ranking during the demo sequence. I think someone asked about this (it's in the manual).

- you can use restarts as much as you want in normal mode and it doesn't affect your score or your ability to place on the ranking chart, unlike in Mushihimesama. While I like that I can use 'restart' on level 1, which saves some loading time as it skips the initial sequence, I don't like that they let you restart on the other stages as often as you like and place your score afterwards. But, you can do the same thing in Mame shmups, so whatever. I use this for LV1, but that's it.

- when you use restarts in Arrange, it's equivalent to continuing, as the first digit column of the score goes up by one each time.

[cigsthecat]

Do you know how to save settings for use with practice mode twe?

[EOJ]

Do you know how to save settings for use with practice mode twe?

Sure. Go into practice mode. Before you start a run, go to the save data menu and switch from 'default' to DATA 1,2,3,4 or 5. Exit and start up a practice run. Also, you should probably have 'autosave' turned on in the general options. When you die in practice mode, it will save your score, rank, medal count, stage reached, etc to the DATA file you selected. Basically, this allows you to start from the beginning of any stage or boss you've reached in the run, with all your settings intact from the run, and continue where you left off. Note that you have to select the same data file when you want to use those settings again. Not terribly useful, it would have been nice to have had a replay mode like in Galuda, but beggars can't be choosers.

[GaijinPunch]

I also like the "Atashitachi wa kirei ni shitageru" at the start (I'll let GP be the authority on this one, but it's something to the effect of "We're gonna make you beautiful" or I guess it could be "clean you up"? maybe it's a double-entendre...GP sensei, help us out),

That's about right. The whole thing is "We'll make you pretty/beautiful", as written throughout any literature you can find on Ibara. I believe what they say is "Watashitachi, kirei ni shite ageru", if you want to get picky about romanizations.

[NTSC-J]

Right on. "Like a Rolling Stone" is also funny to me.

After a couple hours of steady play, I can't say I'm too into it. It looks and sounds great, but the scoring system is pretty boring. Are the roses even worth a shit?

And the bosses are fucked up on max rank! Are flying swords and needles really hard to dodge, or is the hit box bigger in this game?

[zakk]

Right on. "Like a Rolling Stone" is also funny to me.

After a couple hours of steady play, I can't say I'm too into it. It looks and sounds great, but the scoring system is pretty boring. Are the roses even worth a shit?

And the bosses are fucked up on max rank! Are flying swords and needles really hard to dodge, or is the hit box bigger in this game?

It is not a cave-sized hit box. I don't know how it compares to previous Raizing ones, however.

The roses are not really that important for score. You need to maintain medal chain to score well. Also destroying all the parts of the boss (properly) is a score booster. There's also hidden 'tricks' in various levels for getting lots of medals; some of the scenery in stage 2 will spew 10 medals if bombed, the big buildings in stage 1 that reveal 16 medals if bombed etc.

[DC906270]

It is not a cave-sized hit box. I don't know how it compares to previous Raizing ones, however.

the hitbox to me seems bigger than it was in Battle Garegga, more difficult to weave throught the boss attack patterns. then again, i may just be talking shit, which i tend to do a lot. but i'm learning

[CIT]

Maybe you've been playing Garegga with the small hitbox, since it has options for both small and large on Saturn.

I think Ibara's should be somewhere between the two in size.

[DC906270]

no, i always used to use default wild snail. i think what it may be in BG the bullets are smaller, esp on the boss patterns, and not as "dense" ie there are more/bigger gaps?

[sffan]

Whenever I complete the first stage in one life I get fewer points than if I die during the boss fight. What's the deal with that?

Another question: No matter what ship I choose (A, B, C, or D) I always get the "Bond Agent" as my character. Is he the only one? Not a very glamorous profession for a hero, IMO.

[Valgar]

You have to be 2P to use the other ship..and this is a RAIZING game, dying is part of the strategy.

[tiktak]

Thats why Raizing is so dumb and stupid However I enjoy Ibara in both modes without so called strategy.

[sffan]

I don't see "Raizing" mentioned on the package anywhere. This is a Cave game. I do see some Raizing characteristics though, probably because some ex-Raizing people worked on the game, is that right? Or is Cave just ripping off some Raizing ideas?

[CIT]

Yip, the head programmer, Yagawa-san, came over from Raizing. He was the head honcho on Battle Garegga, Soukyuugurentai, etc, etc.

Apart from the obvious consistencies in gameplay, stlye, etc, I think some people make a point of saying "Ibara is a Raizing shooter", since Cave and Raizing fans are each rather fanatical and often are at odds with each other over what constitutes good gameplay design, and it's somehow "un-PC" for a Raizing fan to admit to liking a Cave shooter. Of course the no denying Ibara is fully a Cave shooter, though. Otherwise we would have to call Battle Garegga not a Raizing, but a Taito shooter, as it is itself an hommage to Gun Frontier.

Either way, with Black Label/Arrange the two schools have been nicely combined into "ESPgaregga".

[zinger]

Otherwise we would have to call Battle Garegga not a Raizing, but a Taito shooter, as it is itself an hommage to Gun Frontier.

Wow, good point!

[MA7]

just got home from a weekend away with the missus
Ibara sitting on the doormat from yesasia - got the booket too (even better, I can't read japanese!!!)

*runs off to play new game*

HOOOOOORRRAAAAAYYYYY

[Valgar]

The reason I call it a RAIZING game is simply because people look at the CAVE logo and think "oh shit, another CAVE game!" since CAVE has basically made the same style games forever. Now something different comes out and people who don't do their research get blind sided by rank and suicide.

When I call it a RAIZING game, it tells you that it is played like a Raizing shooter, though anybody should be able to deduct that it WAS released by CAVE.

What would the status of this game be if it didn't have CAVE written on it, hrm?

I love both companies anyway. Fanaticism has nothing to do with this, it is just the facts.

[EOJ]

Watashitachi, kirei ni shite ageru", if you want to get picky about romanizations.

There's actually a -ga in there after 'watashitachi'.

[roker]

can someone break down the different ship types?

[Metal Gear Okt]

So, I got tired of waiting for my PA shipment to get here (ordered after release).

Short version: christ, you guys weren't kidding. this is seriously fucking hard.

[CptIzumi]

Hmm...I don't understand why, but even at max speed for the PS2 version (P1 speed D), it is still nowhere near as fast as the superplays I've seen, or even your vids Icarus. Did they slow down the ships for the PS2?